Thang Long water puppetry

Thang Long water puppetry is a traditional art form with distinctive culture identity of Vietnam. it came to existence, developed and diversified over a thousand years ago in the Red River Delta. Thanks to unique performances on the water, Thang Long water puppetry art is famous and highly appreciated all over the world. We, artists of Thang Long Water Puppetry Theatre, are very proud of bearing the name of a thousand-year-civilization capital, which has brought up the water puppetry art for over ten centuries. Vietnam water puppetry has won all hearts of a large number of audiences thanks to Art Festivals, which we have attended in Japan, Switzerland, Australia, Thailand, Spain, Portugal, Hongkong, Denmark…

On this October, we, Thang Long puppeteers, have a great honour of introducing this unique art to a large number of American and Vietnamese people in America. We hope that Thang Long water puppetry performance in America will help us more and more understand about each other.

Vietnam News: Vietnamese puppeteers in America.

According to the latest news, a water puppet troupe from Vietnam is going to perform in the North and South California. An article "Vietnamese puppeteers test US water" of TT in "Living" column of San Jose mercury News on October 5th ,1995 introduced this water puppetry art form as well as the coming performance calendar as followed:

"The cacophony of musical instruments such as bamboo flutes, bronze drums, gongs, xylophones comes from the tormentor in dim light. As soon as the sound stops, the introduction of the program announces the beginning of the show. Ducks, snakes, dragons and monkeys puppets that made up with flags, dance and dive under the surface of the water. The shows were performed thousand years ago on the surface of ponds and rice-fields of the Red River Delta in North Vietnam called "mua roi nuoc" (water puppetry). In North Vietnam, where the number of population is high, land for agriculture is rare, water has been an important factor of daily activities. Hardworking farmers invented this unique art to satisfy themselves and their children.

In early days, water puppetry showed daily life of villagers such as farming, fishing, romance, children playing. And now, the topics of the plays are also picked from ancient legends, myths and historic stages…"

Next week, audiences will have a chance of watching this unique art with the first show of Thang Long water puppetry troupe in America. This group is performing in California since this October 9th, in San Francisco, Santa Cruz and Southern California. The first show will be staged on Tuesday, at 6 p.m., at 45 Fisherman Wharf, San Francisco.